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One year of ownership!

Well, how time flies when your enjoying yourself! It is one year ago yesterday that I picked up my 1st Ferrari!

So for your amusement and "I told you so" a little summary....

What's been good:
- the car is amazing, I just love driving it. The lack of traction control and power steering is in my view brilliant, if a bit unnerving when I over estimate the speed I can take a corner at, and obviously over estimate my ability!
- every time I take it out it feels special!
- the Ferrari community. Everybody we have met has been so welcoming.
- talking to an insurance company without an automated telephone system and people who are actually helpful and knowledgeable. Its amazing how refreshing I find this, having just renewed!

Background:
I've always wanted a Ferrari. My uncle has a few and he has just fuelled that desire. I did look about 4 years ago and looked at a 348 at Nick Cartwright but it wasn't ready to be test driven, so work got in the way etc. and time passed before I got back to searching again last year.

Buying the car:
Now this was an experience, not to be repeated. I bought the car from Hendon Way Motors...yes I know! They are the epitome of what we think of 2nd hand car dealers. After seeing the car I put a small holding deposit on it subject to PPI. When I test drove it there was a coolant leak from the HAVC unit so it was going to a well know Ferrari indie to be fixed along with new brakes all round. Not surprisingly I had some difficulty getting anybody to do a PPI on the car...yes I know! As the car was at the indie, and they were well known I spoke to them and they agreed to do a PPI for me. This came back fine (more on that in a minute) so I sorted out payment and went up to collect. Upon collection, none of the previous receipts or MOTs were presented to me; so I had to ask for that! They said they had cleaned the car, but again they hadn't as my finger marks from looking under it at the leak were still on the front wing!

When I initially viewed the car there was no toolbox but I was told it would be there on collection and I had it written on the deposit receipt. On inspecting the car:
Me- "Where is the tool kit you said would be here?"
HWM- "Oh ooops; its at our other showroom."
Me - "That's Ok, put it in a taxi and I'll wait".
HWM - "Ahhh we cant find it."
Me - "You had better, or you knock £1k off " Long argument at which point I storm out and get a coffee for 1/2 hour to cool off.
HWM "Its Ok we have ordered a new one from Maranello"
Me "Don't lie to me as I've spoken to them previously and they are no longer made or available new, its £1k or I walk."
To cut the rest of the conversation short, insert a lot of expletives, and me taking the car with £500 knocked off. It was the hottest day of the year, I'd just travelled 2 hours by public transport and I wanted the car!!

Running the car:
On the whole it has been brilliant. That first trip home was circa 26-28 degrees of motorway driving for about 2 hours and it didn't miss a beat. I booked it in to a local indie to get it serviced, given my trust in the above!!! Service was fine, but they found a few things that should definitely have been highlighted in a PPI and MOT (it came with a fresh MOT). Three cracked spring perches, two very visibly cracked, to the extant they fell off the shock when I compressed the spring, one oil cooler hose bolt held together with a jubilee clip! WTF! I suppose at least it wasn't a zip tie; a rusty rear subframe and "out of date" tyres.

The out of date tyres came to light after spinning 180 on a roundabout with a friends missus in the passenger seat! I wasn't even going that fast...honest! I'm not sure who was more surprised, me, or the other cars on the roundabout I somehow managed to miss; it certainly wasn't my driving!

So in the last year I've had the spanners out and done:
- new rear suspension: wishbones, bushes, springs and spring perches;
- new front springs and spring perches;
- tracking re-done;
- new crank case sensors;
- new coolant hoses;
- powder coated the coolant tank;
- new tyres;
- new front bonnet struts;
- new glove box strut;
- new front fog light glass;
- new engine lid insulation;
- fixed the door locks (hill part);
- had the rusty bits on the rear subframe replaced;
- made a engine guard that was missing until a real one turns up at a sensible price;
- various camps/clips etc.
- New private plate coming next week "F27 BLU". I hope somebody other than me gets it! (Blue 348!)

Driving:
This is by far the best bit; and the highlight for me was the Welsh weekend. Thanks for organising that one; even the missus said that it was epic! We have been up to various cars and coffees at Prescott Hill Climb, Haynes and Bristol. Silverstone 70th last year, which as newbie we thought was great!

And looking forward:
- the "usual" maintenance, rads this winter, and the rest of the front suspension next;
- the Cotswold weekend this Sept;
- more cars and coffees, meets and weekends;
- a track day is definitely on the cards for next year so I can learn the limits of the car and more importantly my limits; and
- a European tour is taking shape, probably around the 2020 Historic Monaco grand prix. And off course more drives out to the pub etc!!.

I'm not bothered with mileage, I bought it to use. The whole finance/mileage/depreciation thing I'm not bothered with. Yes I'll loose money if and when I sell it, its a car and I'm not that lucky, but it wont be as much as if I'd bought a new daily drive for the same amount, so crack on...

Would I do it again? Absolutely, but not like I did!!!! So maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks?!

Post whore with no life, no friends, and a problem fitting into normal social circles
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Pete

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Great report. Had mine 8 years now and my report would be similar.

One small difference is I bought privately and so with no preconception about honesty or condition etc. I’d do it again as well - I don’t really hold with paying a premium simply because you’re buying from a Ferrari dealer. Some I’d pay a premium to but only because I now know and trust them. Others I’d actively avoid because I now know and don’t trust them and on balance would buy over ebay before going to them. Overall I don’t think the dealers in the Ferrari ‘community’ deserve any premium over a private sale which is a shame for the few that certainly do.

Thanks for the great post Adrian,
It really shows the lack of honesty of some dealers and the extent to which they are ready to lie to get the sale done. No doubt this post will help new buyers to approach the purchase experience is a slightly different and more cautious way.
Good to hear your impressions of the 348 too. I bought a Testarossa but had my eyes on 348 as well. I like the fact they are the last analogue V8 cars produced and personally (most will probably disagree with me here). I much prefer the styling to the more round and less aggressive looking 355.
I would happily make a 348 GTB my second Ferrari.
Greg